His father, Jorge Messi, was also given a jail term for defrauding Spain of €4.1m (£3.5m; $4.5m) between 2007 and 2009.

They also face millions of euros in fines for using tax havens in Belize and Uruguay to conceal earnings from image rights.

As well as the jail terms, Messi was fined about €2m and his father €1.5m. They made a voluntary €5m "corrective payment", equal to the alleged unpaid tax plus interest, in August 2013.

As per Spanish system of law jail terms of under two years can be served under probation.Thus Messi and his father both will not go to jail.

However, because this was the first time the Barcelona forward Messi had committed an offense and his sentence was less than two years, he won't serve jail time as long as he doesn't break the law again.

Messi's father Jorge Messi was also handed a 21-month jail sentence and a $1.7 million for tax fraud, though like his son he won't serve time as he also doesn't have a criminal record.

Forbes ranked Messi as the second-highest paid athlete earning an estimated $81.4 million through his salary and various endorsement deals.

Messi Career Highlights –

1-Winner of Fifa Ballon d'Or as world's best footballer on five occasions
2-Voted Uefa best player in Europe three times
3-Uefa Champions League winner with FC Barcelona on four occasions
4-Spanish championship winner with FC Barcelona eight times
5-Olympic gold medallist with Argentina in 2008
6-Argentina's all-time leading scorer with 55 goals